AT&T to offer Apple iPhone 3G sans contract!
By Will Park on Thursday, March 19th, 2009 at 2:22 PM PST In AT&T, Apple, Developer, Hottest Hardware, Rumors, iPhone, iPhone OS
Sprint (NYSE: S) cleaning? Perhaps. AT&T (NYSE: T) is apparently looking to move a good number of iPhone 3G stock over the next month or so. Internal training documents point to a renewed iPhone 3G sales push that will have Big Blue peddling iPhone 3G’s without contract to existing AT&T customers. The new promotion will give current subscribers with an active AT&T line the option to buy an iPhone 3G free and clear of any contractual commitments. The news comes on the heels of Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s iPhone 3.0 OS preview event and might even signal an oncoming hardware refresh.
Starting March 26th, AT&T will offer the 8GB iPhone 3G for $599 and the 16GB iPhone 3G for a wallet-busting $699. Unfortunately, the AT&T iPhone 3G will only be offered free of contract, but will remain locked to AT&T’s network in the US.
More provocative, however, is the possibility that AT&T is preparing for an upcoming hardware launch from Apple. Carriers, like AT&T, have been known to clear out current stock in anticipation of a next-generation device coming down the short-term pipeline. If true, AT&T’s move to sell contract-free iPhone 3G’s may be an indication of Apple’s intent to introduce a new iPhone or a refreshed iPhone 3G. There has been a good bit of speculation surrounding Apple’s plans for an updated or next-generation iPhone, and AT&T may be looking to clear out some of its inventory before the new hotness drops.
Remember, the off-contract pricing on the iPhone 3G is only available to current AT&T subscribers. So, if you still don’t have an iPhone 3G, here’s your chance. Or, you know, buy one for your mother, she’ll love you for it… not that she didn’t anywya.
[Via: BGR]
